Chronicles of Peter Parker Volume III - Keep Them Close
by Hardstone
Summary: After dealing with the shocking revelation about his past Peter now returns as Spider-man only to find he's no longer the only super powered person in town, are these new arrivals friends or enemies? Peter's friendships will be tested as he discovers the truth behind Oscorp and their ultimate plan. Set before Avenger Assemble in MCU, crossover with First Family - Not what they seem
1. Shock and Awe

**Peter Parker's House - Forest Hill**

* * *

Peter has spent the entire summer as a hermit, barely leaving his house or speaking to his friends. Gwen leaving him and the shocking news about his parents, who he really is and where he came from has caused him to seek solitude, and answers. Whilst in his room Peter has been amassing information on Oscorp, communicating with hackers who have been providing him with information on Oscorp's operations, research and illegal activity.

Today however, he finally decides to leave the house, go outside in the sunshine and get some fresh air. As he stands in the front yard, allowing the warm rays of sunshine to bathe his body a voice startles him, "Hey Peter, where have you been all summer?"

MJ stands on the other side of the fence, "Ah… Hi M.J., I've just been busy" he replies.

"Is this about Gwen? Are you still upset that she went to England?"

Peter looks to the ground with sadness, M.J. immediately jumps the fence and gives him a hug. "I'm sorry Peter I didn't mean to bring it up."

"It's all right, we wouldn't be together anyway, she dumped me" Peter replies.

"She dumped you, why?"

"I kept missing dates with her, or running late, she didn't like that."

M.J. gives Peter another hug, "Peter, Gwen was one of my best friends and I love her dearly, but she was a little up tight, maybe you just weren't meant to be together, maybe there's someone else for you."

"Thanks M.J., I appreciate it."

"Well, I know what will cheer you up, how about you come to a party on Friday?" Peter becomes uncomfortable, "Sorry I can't" he replies, slightly embarrassed, "Why not, it'll be fun" M.J. continues, "I don't have any money, I'm sorry maybe next time."

Peter walks away leaving M.J. standing in his front yard, watching him as her face fills with sadness and sympathy.

Peter enters the kitchen to get himself some lunch when he sees a pile of overdue bills that Aunt May hadn't paid. The amounts owed shocking him, W _hat have I done to help my Aunt May, she's done nothing but look after me for all these years and this is how I repay her? Locked away in my room._

Peter decides to stop wallowing in his own sadness and think about other people, he looks at a photo of his uncle and aunt when they were young, _with great power comes great responsibility_. Peter picks up the paper and finds his way to the classifieds, he looks through the various jobs available. He crosses most of them off as he has no real experience. During his searches he comes across a wrestling ad "I better not try that again."

He continues looking and comes across a whole group of ads that are right up his alley, "Surely Spider-man would be great at building websites, I could be a web developer! Webmaster thats totally me" he jokes, then he sees an advert for photos of the Shocker.

Peter reads the ad then goes online to find out more. Online he finds that the Shocker is a new high tech bank robber using vibration producing gauntlets. The police have been unable to capture him and the Daily Bugle are offering $1000 for a decent picture of him in the act. Peter's eyes light up, $1000 that could really help Aunt May. Peter goes down to the basement where his camera sits.

Peter has recorded the locations of all the bank robberies to find a pattern, but he can't discern anything. As he searches through the records he realizes there's only one person who has the technical ability to work out a pattern from the noise, he needs Harry. Peter calls Harry and they meet at a park, Peter apologizes for how he's not replied to Harry's calls and explains that he found out some really bad news about his family and it's really shaken him to the core. When Harry probes Peter closes up and just tells him he can't speak about it yet. Harry accepts Peter's apology and explains that he can relate to what Peter is going through, that he went through something very similar, "I'm always here for you Peter if you need to talk."

The boys work through the previous robberies and find a pattern allowing Harry to predict where the Shocker will hit next. Peter waits out the front of the bank Harry's predicted to be the next target. He waits for hours until he notices a man in a large overcoat with a beanie looking very suspicious. Suddenly there's commotion inside the bank as patrons flee through the front door, Peter moves through them towards the action where he gets a number of great shots of the Shocker in action robbing the bank. When the Shocker sees Peter and his camera he fires waves of vibration at him, Peter is too quick and escapes out the front door with his photos.

The next day Peter arrives at the Daily Bugle where he meets with Robbie Robinson and shows him the photos, Robinson is amazed and offers him $500 for all of them, Peter protests that the ad said $1000, Robinson then softens and agrees to $1000 but warns him to not tell Jameson. Robinson makes a comment that a picture of Spider-man would be worth double maybe triple, T _riple, I'm sure I could manage that_ Peter thinks to himself.

Peter is pleased with himself returning home with the money, as he arrives home Harry messages him that the Shocker has just hit the midtown bank just around the corner. Peter excitedly runs and grabs his camera, as he runs through the kitchen he notices a note on the fridge from his Aunt May telling him that he's she's gone to the bank. Peter now fears for his aunts life, he'd convince himself that the shocker isn't hurting anyone and it's a victimless crime, but now that victim is someone he cares about.

Peter runs to the bank where police and ambulances crowd the entrance, sirens, red and blue lights fill the air. Dread fills Peter as he flashes back to that fateful night with his uncle, _please let her be all right, not again, not again, please let her be all right_.

As he enters the bank its apparent the Shocker has already left the scene but his vibration attacks have weakened the structure of the bank and one of the walls has collapsed severely injuring three people including his Aunt May who has a broken leg. The paramedics are taking her out on a stretcher, Peter rushes to her side asking if she's all right, she doesn't reply and falls unconscious.

After a day in hospital Peter takes his aunt home, as they sit drinking a cup of tea Aunt May complains that the police are no match for this Shocker criminal, "We need someone like Spider-man to keep us safe."

Peter contacts Harry to find out when the Shocker is likely to attack next. Harry narrows down the possibilities to three banks in Midtown, New York, Peter takes his Spider-man outfit from where he had hidden it, stuffs it in his bag and heads to the city.

 **Midtown New York**

* * *

Spider-man sit on the roof of a 20 story building listening to a police scanner waiting to hear about the shocker robbing a bank. Finally a call goes out for a bank robbery, Spider-man leaps off the building and web slings his way to the scene. As he arrives he notices the Shocker leaving the bank through a hole in the side wall with the sack full of gold. Spider-man swings down and kicks the Shocker in the back sending him and the gold rolling onto the street. The Shocker quickly gets back to his feet and fires concentrated streams of vibration at him, Spider-man avoids them firing webbing back in retaliation.

Spider-man swings towards a lamp post just as the Shocker fires a vibration stream at its base, causing the post to buckle and crash into the sidewalk. Spider-man reaches for the post but misses it and falls, hitting the road hard. Spider-man gets to his feet but he's too slow to avoid the Shockers follow-up attack, the vibration stream hits Spider-man directly, his entire body, organs, stomach and brain vibrate making him queasy and sends his head spinning. As he tries to get his bearings Spider-man pulls up his mask above his mouth and vomits on the floor. The Shocker walks over laughing to himself, "So New York's great crime fighter is back, but it seems you've met your match, and now your encore is about to end."

Shocker raises his vibration gauntlets at Spider-man firing them, but he misses as Spider-man leaps over his head landing behind him and covering him with webbing tying his arms to his body. Spiderman then lifts his web covered body off the ground, hanging him upside down just in time for a camera stuck to the wall to flash taking his photo. Spider-man takes the camera and swings away as the police arrive to apprehend the Shocker.

 **Daily Bugle - New York**

Later that day Peter Parker arrives at the Daily Bugle and asks to see Robinson. He shows the pictures he has of Spider-man battling the Shocker, Robinson smiles with delight, "These are great Peter, the best I've seen, Jameson is going to love them, come with me."

Inside Jameson's office JJ sits with an editor looking through large piles of photo's of the Shocker and Spider-man. Jonah complains that they're all crap and he can't even see him, "That's just a blur, what a load of crap."

He arrives at one and looks at it closely "Um I'm not sure what that is, is it a bird" he asks the editor who looks at it closely "I'm not sure, it kinda of looks like a plane" Jonah looks at it even harder, suddenly yelling "I know what it is, a piece of crap, get me some decent photos."

Robinson tentatively knocks on Jameson's door, "What do you want?" he yells, "Sir I have Peter Parker here, he took the shot of the Shocker yesterday" Jameson looks him up and down, "What this kid? He looks ten, why's he in my office?" Peter steps back uncomfortable with Jameson's combative style of conversation. "He's brought us some pictures of the Shocker and Spider-man in battle, they're really good." Jameson waves them in, Robinson hands him the photo's "Run it, front page," Jameson immediately exclaims handing the pictures to the editor then turning to Peter, "I'll put you on as a freelancer, get me more photo's like that and I'll keep signing cheques."

Peter smiles broadly, "Thank you sir" Jameson hands him a cheque for $500, "Um sir" Peter speaks softly, "What is it boy speak up" Jameson replies without looking up, "I was told I'd get $2000 for a photo of Spiderman."

Jamison stares at Peter intensely, "Everyone has to start somewhere, and that somewhere is the bottom. If you keep bringing me photos like this then you might start getting $1000 per photo, how does that sound? You can buy lots of candy with that."

Peter tries to reply but his mouth is dry, his nerves have taken over, "Ok sir" he replies limply and walks out of the office with Robinson placing a hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry about Jameson, he'll soften up and pay what they're worth, just keep bringing good pictures."

Peter walks towards the front desk where Eddie Brock flirts with the receptionist Betty Brant. "So you're the kid with the photos?" Peter recognizes Eddie from the shuttle launch, "Yeah I guess." Eddie glares at him, "Don't get too comfortable kid, I'm the Daily Bugle's number one photographer, luck can only get you so far."

Peter is taken aback by Eddies confrontational tone, "Sorry Mr Brock, I'm only trying to make some money to help my aunt." Betty smiles warmly towards Peter, "Awwww that's so sweet, your aunt is very lucky to have you." Peter thanks her then leaves the building, Eddie shoots a look of disgust at Betty and storms off.

 **New York**

* * *

A few days later Spider-man swings through the New York City skyline on his way to rescue a worker trapped in an unstable crane. As he swings past a figure emerges from the shadows, dressed in a Lab coat. He stands on the corner of the roof looking on as Spider-man helps the trapped man.

The man in the Lab coat turns revealing his identity as Curt Conners, he has two normal arms. He faces four other figures who emerge from the shadows, "You see Spider-Man is back as I predicted" he announces smugly, "What are we going to do about him? Are we going to eliminate him?" one of the figures asks, "No, no, we're not going to eliminate him we need him, he's a brother, a friend and an enemy, and you know what they say about friends and enemies" Connors asks rhetorically, he's met with silence from the four figures, he studies their faces for a sign of recognition, "Keep them close."


	2. Shooting Star

**New York City**

* * *

On the corner of a New York building, 30 stories up, an individual squats on the edge overseeing the streets below like the city's silent gargoyle guardian. On closer inspection the individual is Spider-man and he's not overseeing the streets of New York as a silent guardian, but he crouches over his iPhone playing angry birds, "weee" the games sounds as Spider-man fails again to kill the green pigs, "I can save a bus full of school children but can't get 3 stars on this stupid game, some superhero I am" he tells himself, then puts the phone into his backpack and swings down on patrol.

Ten kilometers above the Ares 4 shuttle plummets through the atmosphere, the crew are unconscious except John Jameson who is strapped into the pilots seat. He awakes to flashing lights and emergency indicators warning of an uncontrolled descent. John takes the controls and fights against gravity trying to slow their descent and maneuver away from Manhattan Island, and into the Hudson River.

Spider-man swings through the New York skyline, as he does he notices an object falling from a building, as he swings past realizing it's a person he shoots webbing at them, catching their fall and swinging them back up to a building roof top and safety. Spider-man swings back around, landing on the roof next to the woman who is curled up in a ball shaking with fear.

"Are you all right ma'am, you've got to watch that step."

"Why, why did you do that?" she asks as she trembles.

"It's all part of being you're friendly neighborhood Spider-man."

"Why didn't you let me fall, I just want it all to go away."

Spider-man stands dumbfounded by her words, _she didn't fall she jumped_.

The woman buries her head into her arms and cries, Spider-man slowly approaches her and puts an arm around her, "Are you all right, I thought you were in trouble, I was just trying to help."

The woman lifts her head up and replies, "Everyone says they want to help, but no one understands."

"I can understand, I can listen?" Spider-man offers and the woman explains her story, about how her boyfriend cheated on her with her best friend, that he made a video of her and posted it online, now she's lost her job, her friends her entire life.

Spider-man sits silently next to her, "That's so terrible, I've felt like that before, no friends, humiliated, just wanting it all to end."

"So what happened?" she asks, "My uncle gave me advice about power, that these people take our power away from us, make us feel vulnerable and weak." Spider-man pauses as he considers his next words, "But that power is not really taken, its given, you trusted your boyfriend and your friend and they misused that trust, and exploited it to make you feel like this."

"Exactly, they used me and humiliated me in front of everyone, if I'm gone then they'll realize what they did to me, only then will they realize."

"Maybe, but you won't be here to know about it, what I did was confront those people, I didn't back down, no matter the pain… and there was a lot, and then I got respect I took back my power back."

The woman contemplates his words, "But your Spider-Man, it's easy for you, who am I, I'm no one."

Spider-man looks at the despair in her face, he then removes his mask, "You're not a nobody, only one other person has seen my face, I think your somebody."

A look of amazement fills her face, "You're just a kid."

"Yeah I'm just a kid, and I wasn't Spider-man when I took my power back."

"Why would you reveal your identity to me?"

"A lot of people close to me have died, I can't bare to see another person die because of me."

"Ok Spider-man, I won't do it, for you I won't do it, I'll face them and take my power back."

Peter smiles, "That's great, I'm glad to hear it." Spider-man pulls his mask back over his face and turns to leave when she asks, "Can I ask one question?"

"Yeah sure" her replies, the woman grins, "Do those webs shoot out of your arms, are the rumors true, are you a mutate?"

Spider-man approaches the woman, holding his hand out to her, he grabs his glove and begins pulling it off, as he whips it off he thrusts his hands towards her. The woman jumps back in fright, then laughs when she sees his web slingers, "No mutate here, just good ole fashion technology, if you can maybe keep that a secret between us along with my identity I'd really appreciate it."

The woman's smile now fills her face, "Your secret is safe with me." Spider-Man turns to leave when he hears a roar above, a shuttle flies close overhead towards the Hudson River. Spider-man immediately swings in pursuit.

The shuttle hits the river and skips along like a stone, ending wedged against the bank of the river, but slowly begins to sink. Spider-man lands on top of the shuttle and pulls at the outer hatch until it tears off the hinges.

He jumps down into the airlock where a man and woman in space suits lie unconscious. He picks them up, one on each shoulder, leaps out of the airlock onto the top of the shuttle, then he jumps onto the shore placing them gently on the ground.

Spider-man returns to the shuttle, enters the airlock and finds the door open and John Jameson holding Johnny Storm up, "Help them, quickly" Jameson orders, Spider-man takes Johnny out of the shuttle and onto the shore, he returns for Victor Van Damme but the shuttle is already filling with water.

Spider-man returns to the shuttle again but this time its half full with water, John struggles to pull Ben Grimm up, an orange martian rock covers parts of his face and upper body. Spider-man picks Ben up and climbs out through the air lock, jumping for the shore and barely making it. He places Ben on the shore and turns to witness the shuttle submerge into the Hudson. Spider-man dives after it, trying to swim down to the shuttle, but it is too far down, the water too dirty and his mask makes things difficult.

Spider-man emerges and returns to the shore, taking off his mask to gulp down air. As he gets his breath back black vans screech up with armed men flooding the area. Spider-man quickly runs away but not before a number of bystanders take photo's of him.

 **The Daily Bugle - New York**

* * *

J Jonah Jameson sits in his office staring at the TV images of the shuttle hurtling past New York and into the Hudson. Tears fall from his eyes as he sits with his hands clenched, praying for good news. Then the telephone rings, and the news he's been dreading is confirmed, John Jameson died in the shuttle as it sunk, he was the only person to perish from this tragic accident, Spider-man saved the other five astronauts.

The next morning the Daily Bugle had two headlines, the Major headline: An American Hero Lost.

The secondary story: Spider-man - New York's Menace.


	3. The Hunter

**Midtown High**

* * *

Peter returns to school after his summer break, his first class is english, as he takes his seat he turns and looks to where Gwen always sat, now another student sits there and Peter's face drops with sadness, _she's not coming back, she's gone_ , he thinks to himself.

M.J. peers over at Peter as he searches for Gwen and notices the sadness that fills his face.

At lunch time Peter sits out in the yard under a tree by himself, M.J. approaches from behind and sits next to him, "Hey Pete, how was your summer?" Peter mumbles to himself, "Sorry Pete? You're gonna need to speak up."

"It was ok."

"I know Gwen leaving was hard for you, it was hard for me too, she was my best friend, you can talk to me if you want."

Peter raises his head from it's drooped position and looks up at M.J. "It's my fault she's gone, I wasn't honest with her, I pushed her away."

"Oh my god Pete, you didn't push her away, Gwen does what Gwen wants to do, nothing and no one else matters."

"No you don't understand, she left because of me, because I wasn't there for her."

"Peter, you don't know Gwen like I do, she was always leaving, she was always going to London, she didn't care about you like you cared for her, she didn't deserve you."

Peter scowls at MJ and storms off without another word.

Later that day as Peter is leaving school MJ walks towards him trying to catch his attention but Peter looks the other way and quickens his pace as he walks home. As he storms home he passes a newsstand with the Daily Bugle's front page featured for the world to see, "Spider-man: Hero or Menace."

Peter looks down at the headline and shakes his head in disgust continuing home.

 **Peter's House - Forest Hills**

* * *

Later that night Peter sits at home researching Oscorp and Norman Osborn on his computer with the police scanner on in the background.

Aunt May knocks on the door "Peter what are you doing in there? I hope you're studying" she asks trying to turn the handle but the door is locked. "Peter, could you open the door please?"

Peter quickly turns off the scanner, puts his computer to sleep and pulls out his books. Peter opens the door and smiles, "Hey Aunt May, my homework's all done, I'm about to go to bed." May looks in with suspicion, but everything looks normal, "Ok then, goodnight" she responds kissing him on the head.

Peter returns to his research and keeps the police scanner on a low volume. Only a few minutes back into his research he hears a report of multiple people injured by some creature in Astoria, a 10 minute train ride from Forest Hill. Peter decides to check it out, he turns off his bedroom light, takes his backpack and heads for the station.

 **Astoria - Queens, New York**

* * *

Once he emerges from the train station Peter heads towards the incident, there are police and ambulances scattered along the road, multiple people are being treated for bites. Peter notices more damage and injured people down the road _a trail_ he thinks to himself. Peter finds a secluded area, gets changed into his Spider-man outfit and swings through the skyline following the path of destruction. As he does he notices another figure leaping from building to building following the trail, but this isn't a normal man, his speed and leap are superhuman.

Spider-man follows him across the roof tops until the figure descends to street level.

Spider-man climbs down the side of the building and silently stalks the figure who himself appears to be stalking his prey. The man stops and peers towards the Spider-man who quickly hides behind a neon sign.

The figure then continues along his path continually stopping and raising his head up, sniffing the air for a scent. After a few moments of stillness the figure suddenly charges across the road and down an alleyway. Spider-man swings in pursuit, when he finally catches up the figure attacking someone, beating them with his bare hands and then brandishing a knife from his belt. Spider-man fires webbing onto the figures hands, pulling them and the knife away from his victim then firing more webbing at his body, capturing him.

Spider-man approaches the victim who lies on the ground and asks, "Are you all right?" The victim gets up to its feet revealing its part rat and part human face. It's screeches at Spider-man then runs down the alley, down a manhole into the sewers.

"What on god's earth was that?" Spider-man asks allowed. As he stands in silence pondering what he just saw he feels a presence behind him, Spider-man turns around as a large blade slices towards him. Spider-man leaps out the way and fires more webbing at the man. This time the figure evades his attacks and throws darts in retaliation, none hit their mark as Spider-man swings up over his head and out of his reach. Spider-man returns to the alleyway floor we're the figure charges at him, Spider-man backs away, acting scared and frantic, the figure senses his opportunity and leaps at him. The moment he leaves the ground Spider-man fires a webbing net, capturing the man in midair and fastening him between the alleyway walls.

The man struggles within the web, unable to break free or reach his knife.

"What was that, that person you attacked? It didn't look human."

The man stops struggling then chuckles to himself, "Ah brother, if you knew what it was you would not stop me" he replies in a thick Russian accent.

"You don't sound like you're from round here, are you German? Or South African?"

"German? Do I speak like German, I'm Russian."

"German, Russian, same thing. So what do they call you?" Spider-man asks.

"My name is Kraven, I am the hunter, and I am hunting Vermin."

"Hey Kevin I'm Spider-man, the neighbourhood friendly type, and I'm stopping criminals like you."

"It's Kraven, not Kevin, You think I criminal?"

"Well you attack that… that thing."

"That thing need to die, it has disease, disease that spreads to people it bites and scratches, making them cannibal."

"You're telling me a virus did that?"

"Oscorp did, they testing disease and doctor got sick, now he eat people and spreads everyone he bites, and he escape."

Spider-man contemplates Kraven's words, remembering that the people who were bitten outside the building. "What about the people who've been bitten, we need to help them" he tells Kraven, "Too late to help, they need to be dead."

"Dead? We can't just kill people, we need to find a cure."

"Cure, how we do that?"

"We need to get a sample of the hosts blood, determine how the virus works and find a way to stop it. I have people who can help, at Oscorp."

Kraven becomes uncomfortable, "Oscorp bad for people like me and you."

"People like us?" Spider-man asks, "We speak later, now lets find this vermin" Kraven replies.

Spider-man releases Kraven from the web and Kraven walks towards the sewer and enters the manhole. Spider-man hesitates to enter, Kraven looks back up, "What's wrong, scared?"

"No I just hate confined areas" Kraven looks at him blankly, "I have claustrophobia" Kraven continues to look at him blankly, "I don't like tunnels."

Kraven rolls his eyes, "Hurry up insect, don't be scaredy cat," chuckling to himself. Peter replies "I'm an arachnid not an insect," to which Kraven counters "Same thing."

 **New York Sewers**

* * *

Spider-man follows Kraven through the tunnels, Kraven uses a torch to light the way with Spider-man clumsily following in near pitch black.

"How do you know where you're going?" Spider-man asks.

"I following smell, my senses strong."

"All I can smell is sewerage and god knows what else."

"Lucky that's all you smell."

The two continue to follow the scent, Kraven begins coughing, sniffling and stopping at random intervals. After another few more minutes of this Kraven stops and begins dry reaching, once he regains his composure, climbs up an access tunnel to the street above.

Spider-man follows him as Kraven crawls into the gutter continuing his dry reaching. Spider-man stands behind him, considering whether he should offer assistance or not.

Once Kraven has finished he returns to his feet, "I lost his smell, your New York smells are … are… yuk" he shouts struggling to find the English equivalent. Kraven walks away down the street. "Like your s**t doesn't stink" Spider-man replies and races to catch up with him.

"So what do we do now Kev?"

Kraven looks at Spider-man with disgust, "You go home."

Spider-man stands confused scratching his head, "Aren't we going after him?" he yells at Kraven who ignores him and continues walking alone.

Spider-man heads back to the initial scene of the incident to help with the injured people, as he does he finds the streets empty, armed guards protect the area keeping the public over a block away. Spider-man swings above, climbing down to the incident area taking a closer look, he sees men in biohazard suits decontaminating the area. After some more investigation Spider-man gives up and heads back home, it's getting late.

 **Midtown - New York**

* * *

The next day after school Spider-man heads out on patrol throughout midtown, as he swings through the skyline he comes across a gruesome scene, 3 dead bodies on a basketball court behind a wire fence. He lands on a building roof staring down and the dead bodies.

As Spider-man looks down in horror Kraven approaches from behind examining the scene, "There are five, all infected."

Spider-man looks past the bodies where a part man-part rat presides over four infected people who fight over the three corpses laying on the court.

Kraven looks to Spider-Man as he stares down in horror at the scene below "Don't fear Insect, I can smell your fear," Spider-man turns to Kraven and without hesitation responds, "Sorry kev that's not fear, I just farted…. excuse me."

Kraven smiles as Spider-man chuckles to himself, "Insect, they cannibal, eat flesh and infect others, like zombie."

"Like the walking dead?" Spider-Man asks, "When we go down, I want to be Rick" Spider-man tells Kraven, "Why you Rick? I'm Rick" he responds.

"No you're the tracker, you're Daryl, I should be Rick"

Kraven ponders Spider-man's words, "Ok, I'm Daryl, but get them in brain."

"Kev, there not Zombie's, they're sick people, we don't kill them, just stop them."

Kraven grumbles at Spider-man and heads down the Building's fire escape, Spider-man follows him crawling down the side of the building.

The two climb over the wire fence, as they do the infected people are alerted to there presences and charge in their direction with visceral screams. As the two land on the ground they are attacked, Spider-man uses webs to capture his attackers and disables them, Kraven however kills them with his knives.

Spider-man with his opponents subdued turns to Kraven as he stalks the main Vermin who backs away cautiously. Spider-Man leaps towards the vermin, firing webbing at it but it darts away down into the sewers. Kraven yells in frustration, "Stupid insect, it was mine."

"Whoa sorry Kev, you were just standing there, I had a good shot."

Kraven storms off and stabs the two infected people Spider-man had caught in webs, "Whoa Kev stop what are you doing?"

Kraven sets them on fire with a small handheld flame thrower, then approaches the other bodies and sets them alight. Spider-man stares with disbelief, "Kev, what are you doing?"

"The disease must burn to stop spread."

Kraven then heads down into the sewers, this time with a plug for his nose. Spider-man reluctantly follows him down the sewer.

The two follow the vermin through the sewers until they reach a large cavern with multiple sewer tunnels with running water flowing into it. In the middle of the pool of water is a large concrete island where the vermin stands waiting for them. The two cautiously enter the cavern whilst the vermin cowers down backing away. Spider-man fires webbing on him and leaps onto the concrete island, Kraven warns, "Stop, insect!"

Spider-man turns to Kraven with surprise, as he does a scurrying sound emerges from the surrounding sewers. Kraven leaps onto the concrete island, pulls out his blades and turns, his eyes dart from tunnel to tunnel.

The vermin rips free from its webbing and scurries up a tunnel as infected people flood out of the tunnels into the cavern, leaping onto the island and diving into the water swimming towards Spider-man and Kraven. Spider-Man and Kraven fight off the infected but become overwhelmed, Spider-Man falls to the ground and is pulled towards the water, Kraven leaps to his rescue, slicing the limbs and torso's of the infected. As Spider-man gets back to his feet, kicking and punching the infected back he peers above and notices a man hole above him. Spider-man leaps to the roof of the cavern as Kraven continues to cut down the infected.

Spider-man looks up at the manhole then back down at Kraven, fear grips him at the scene below but he realises he has a responsibility to protect everyone, he fires webbing at the infected surrounding Kraven, hitting them in the face and arms, slowing their attacks. As the attacks slow down Kraven gets on top of the situation and begins killing all the infected around him.

"Stop Kev, they're people, you can't kill them."

Kraven ignores Spider-man's pleas as he continues his attacks. Spider-man peers down at the masses of bodies laying on the island and floating in the water, he looks around as more and more infected emerge from the tunnels. Spider-man fires webbing down but this time it hits Kraven on the back, Spider-man pulls him up out of the reach of the infected, and them out of his reach. He climbs up and out of the man hole carrying Kraven who struggles to break free, dropping his large knife in the process. Spider-Man opens the man hole and pokes his head out as a car drives overhead. He waits for a break in the traffic then climbs out. Kraven searches through his jacket for another knife, he can't find one but instead finds a grenade, a special incendiary grenade he created for this battle. Kraven feels himself be jerked up towards the man hole, as he nears the exit he removes the grenade's pin and drops it.

Spider-man pulls Kraven out through the man hole, as he does the grenade explodes and a large fireball bursts up from the man hole. Kraven laughs as he crawls off the road to the sidewalk where Spider-man sits in disbelief, "Kev, what did you do?"

"Hahahahaha, it's over insect, the disease is dead."

"They were humans, they were people."

Kraven walks away wearily, ignoring Spider-man's words, Spider-Man follows him demanding an explanation until Kraven stops suddenly as a dark realisation sweeps over his bode, "The vermin, the vermin left, we must destroy." He turns to Spider-man with concern, "Find exits, we must find exits."

Kraven runs off towards the nearest sewer exit, Spider-man after a moment of confusion realises Kraven's words and takes to the air, swinging through the local area looking for evidence of the vermin.

Finally Spider-man sees a man hole uncovered and a path of water trailing down an alleyway behind a creature part rat part man. Spider-man swings down and fires web nets at it, the vermin dives out the way, Spider-man lands on the ground and in a split second is leaping out the way of the vermin savage attack. Spider-man continues to avoid the vermin as it claws, and bites at him, hissing and snarling. The vermin vicious and wild attacks begin to tire as it crashes into walls and bins throughout the alley. Spider-man finally catches it in a webbing net between alley walls leaving it hopeless.

Spider-man walks close to it as it hisses at him, "What are you? What happened to you?" he asks as it continues it's hissing, "Do you even understand me?"

"Osssscp" it says in response, "What was that?"

"Osssscaarrrppp" it repeats, then it screams out in pain as a blade pierces its chest. Spider-man leaps back in horror as he sees a figure standing behind the vermin holding the blade through its chest, it's Kraven.

"What did you do? I was finding out answers, Kev what did you do?"

"Answers not important, kill the disease, that's the mission."

Spider-man contemplates his words, "Mission? What mission? Who sent you on this mission, Oscorp? You work for Oscorp?"

Kraven sets the vermin alight and walks over to Spider-man who backs away ready for an attack, "Don't worry scaredy spider, I won't hurt you, Me no friend of Oscorp, they our enemy."

"Oscorp is our enemy? Why are they our enemy?"

"They took us, they made us, made us all." Kraven walks off after his admission. "What do you mean they made us? Who are us?"

"You'll find out soon brother" Kraven replies as he disappears around the corner and into the crowd.

 **Forrest Hill**

* * *

The next day Peter leaves school and walks past the news agency, he glances in and sees the front page of the bugle with an image of Spider-man and Kraven and the headline "Spider-man: Mass Murderer."

Peter is horrified and heads straight to the bugle.

 **Daily Bugle - New York**

* * *

Peter storms into the Bugle's office, ignoring Betty at the front desk and all the Bugle's employees as he heads straight to Jameson's office, "What kind of a headline is that? Spider-Man didn't kill anyone" Peter blurts out. Jameson stops what he's doing and glares up at Peter, Eddie Brock and Robbie Robertson who are in the room exchange looks of disbelief.

"What did you say boy? Innocent you think? There were over 50 bodies in that sewer, they were incinerated and Spider-man was seen leaving the scene."

"But what about the other guy, he looks like he uses weapons, Spider-man has never used explosives, I mean where would he keep them, underneath his spandex?"

Robbie and Eddie laugh at Peter's comment but Jameson is unmoved.

"Pictures don't lie, and unlike you, Eddie has been getting me pictures I can print."

"But those picture don't show anything, Spider-Man doesn't kill people, he helps people."

"Spider-man doesn't kill people? What about my son, did he save my son?" Jameson growls, anger fills his eyes. Peter's protests stop as he weighs up his next words, "But you have no proof he did it, you can't publish it."

"Peter you're only a kid so I'll give you this one chance… and a piece of advice, the truth doesn't matter, we print what sells papers, we're not in the truth business we're in the news business."

Peter stands dumbfounded as Robbie walks over and escorts him out, "And get out of my office" Jameson calls out as they leave.

Robertson walks with Peter as he leaves, "Peter, you're a good kid but you need to learn when to give an opinion, the boss has all the power and you need to respect that, wrong or right."

"But he's wrong, Spider-man didn't do anything" Peter replies angrily, "It doesn't matter, JJ thinks he does and these days in the media, that's all that matters, welcome to the business kid, just keep the photos coming," Robertson explains and waves him goodbye.


End file.
